“The Hunt” is a train of thought restlessly puffing in search of a way through life where meaning, survival, and happiness braid together. It’s a line of questioning many young adults face when the proverbial training wheels come off. Sure, if lucky, one can cycle without a hitch, but where to go?

If the song structure of “The Hunt” is any clue, the initial charge from adolescence will be manic with possibilities and fresh experiences. As one fine-tunes one’s values, however, one gradually finds a way to exist, slowing in uncertain energy until, eventually, something works well enough provide at least some stability. This can be physical, spiritual, psychological, etc.

Kat Lock runs through a shower of topics ranging from a car wreck she had in 2010 to the history of humankind’s treatment of the planet. Meanwhile, Lonemoon gradually brings in an ever-blooming arrangement that builds around Lock’s quarter-note chords. Starting with vocal choruses, “The Hunt” picks up sounds of harp, string, snare, and horn until it flourishes in the track’s latter segment. It mirrors the search and growth that is compressed into the song’s three minutes.

When “The Hunt” climbs to its final peak, it’s an uneasy triumph. Citing a Sinatra standard, Lock gives in to her personal values, consequences be damned. The track’s slower tempo and more laid-back time signature in this section signifies both a sense of security and fatigue. Similarly, Lonemoon’s finishing fanfare is majestic and heavy, closing with a lingering low tone underlining Lock’s lingering doubt.

It’s not exactly the resolution promised in childhood fables, but that’s precisely what Kat Lock’s songwriting likes to deconstruct. An Existence is no exception, and in these uncertain times, it’s perhaps more appropriate than ever.